Quick retreat device for feed members of attaching machines



Dec. 15, 1931. J. VEILLETTE 1,836,887

QUICK RETREAT DEVICE FOR FEED MEMBERS OF ATTACHING MACHINES Filed.June 9, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 15, 1931. VEILLETTE' 1,836,887

QUICK RETREAT DEVICE FOR FEED MEMBERS OF ATTACHING MACHINES Fi l ed June 9, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIB- E- 15, 1931 J. VEILLETTE 1,336,887 QUICKRETREAT DEVICE FOR FEED MEMBERS OF ATTACHING MACHINES Filed June 9, 193 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I mm www DIEC. 15, 1931. vElLLETTE 1,836,887

QUICK RETREAT-DEVICE FOR FEED MEMBERS OF ATTACHING MACHINES Filed June 9, 1951? s Sheets-Sheet 4 1931- J. VEILLETTE 1,836,887

QUICK RETREAT DEVICE FOR 'FEED MEMBERS ATTACHING MACHINES Filed June 9, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 15, 1931. J. VEILLETTE 1,836,887

QUICK RETREAT DEVICE FOR FEED MEMBERS OF ATTAGHING MACHINES Filed June 9, 1951 e Sheets-Shet 6 FIG.7.

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEF JEFFREY VEILLETTE, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 SCOVILL MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON NECTICUT QUICK RETREAT DEVICE FOR FEED MEMBERS 0F ATTACHING MACHINES Application filed June 9,

This invention relates to fastener setting or attaching machines, and has special ref erenceto a quick retreat devicefor a fastener part feeding member embodying improvements over the device of a similar nature disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6 of the patent of Frank E. WVarner, No. 1,575,595, granted March 2, 1926. a

The object of the invention is to provide a combination of feed elements for positioning one member of fastener, in setting position, for example upon a setting anvil, and'then retreating from such a part a distance sufficient to permit unobstructed arrangement of an article to which the fastener is to be attached in proper position relatively to the fastener part and setting mechanism.

In the patent above mentioned, this operation of the feed member is disclosed as accomplished by means of various cam mechanisms of rather complicated form, assembly and operation. In the present invention, the mechanism is much simplified, and its operation is improved and made more dependable. r

The invention consists in the combination with a fastener attaching machine having fastener assembling and setting elements, including a setting anvil and plunger, and means for feeding fastener parts to the anvil including a reciprocating feed member, of means for imparting a predetermined reciprocatory action to said feed member comprising lever mechanism and connections between same and said feed memberiwhereby the feed member may be caused to advance a fastener part into setting position upon said anvil, and immediately retreat therefrom a distance suliicient to clear the environs of the anvil and the positioned fastener part and to thereafter retreat still further to a position for subsequent operation to feed another fastener part to the anvil after the setting operation is completed upon the part previously fed. And the invention consists further in the various elements comprising the feed mechanism,an'd in their cooperative assembly and operation, as will be hereinafter explained more fully and finally claimed.

1931. Serial N0. 543,187.

ing the invention, in the several figures of Which like parts are similarly designated,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine of the full automatic fastener feed type, embodying the principles of the invention, the stand of the machine being shown broken away. 7 Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of the head of the machine illustrating the parts embodying'the features of the invention, these parts being shown in the positionassumed by them immediately upon completion of the initial quick retreat of the fastener feeding member. Fig. 3 is aview similar to- Fig. 2, but with parts omitted, showing the elements of the mechanism embodying the features of the invention in the positions assumed just prior to the completion of the fastener positioning stroke of the feed member, and before the quick retreat elements function. Fig. 4; is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view taken approximately in the plane. of the upper face of the feedway for the "fastener parts. Fig.5 is an enlarged sectional elevation on the scale of Fig. 4, looking at the rear of the machine. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the resilient abutment, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 ,is a fragmentary detail view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 4

theifull automatic-fastener feed, kick-offor foot power type, having a head or frame 1, bed 2, and stand 3 provided with the usual table 4 and other customary adjuncts.

Arranged for vertical sliding movementin the head 1 is a, setting plunger 5 connected by means of a rock lever 6fpivoted at 7 with a link 8 threaded as indicated at 9 and provided with jam nuts 10 for adjustment of the v 7 stroke. of the plunger. This link Sis con- In the accompanying drawings illustrat-' nected at 11 to one'endof a lever arm 12 pivoted at 13 in the stand 3 and provided with a treadle extension 14 for movement by the foot of the operator. Slidably mounted upon the face of the head 1 is a pair of holding jaws 15, of conventional type, adapted to receive from a chute 16 one complemental part of the fastener to be set, this chute being fed by an intermittently rotated hopper 17 in the customary manner. Downward movement is imparted to the jaws 15 by the plunger 5, and their upward movement is accomplished by means of a pin 18 in the usual manner.

Mounted upon the bed 2 is a feedway 19 (see particularly Fig. 4) comprising guides 20 and 21 which provide between them a slot 22 of conventional type. Into the slot 22 fastener parts complemental to those fed to the jaws 15 are supplied through a chute 23 which communicates with a hopper 24. A detent 25 underlying the guide 21 extends into the feedway 22 a distance sufficient to arrest movement of the fastener parts from the chute 23 into the feedway when the push finger, later described, is withdrawn to the rear of the chute 23. This detent 25 is carried by an arm 26 pivoted at 27 to the bed 2 and is normally pressed into feedway obstruct.- ing position by means of a spring 28.

At the forward end of thebed 2, and in alignment with the slot 22 of the feedway 19 is the setting anvil 29 (see Figs. 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9) this anvil being secured to the table 4 by means of a cap screw 30 and a guide member 31. Slidably mounted upon the anvil 29, and between the bed 2 and guide member 31, is a jaw carrier 32 (see particularly Fig. 10) carrying a pair of jaws 33 pivotally supported on pins 34. These jaws are normally pressed into fastener engaging and retaining proximity by means of a spring element 35, so that when the fastener parts, usually in the form of tacks or eyelet posts, are fed through the feedway and onto the anvil, they will be held thereon in predetermined position. In order that the jaws 33 may release the fastener parts held upon the anvil upon descent of the plunger 5, the surfaces of the jaws in contact with the sides of the anvil are rounded, as shown in Fig. 7 so that as the jaw holder 32 is depressed, they will be automatically separated and ride down the sides of the anvil. The jaw holder, and with it the jaws, is depressed in timed relation to the operation of the plunger 5 by means of a lever 36 pivoted at 37 to the table 4 and carrying at one end a link38 connected at'39 with the jaw carrier 32 and provided at its other end with a roller 40 which rides upon a cam block 41 mounted upon the lever arm 12. A handle 36 is provided at the forward end of the lever 36 whereby it may be manually operated when necessary or desirable.

Mounted for reciprocationin,the slot 22 of the feedway 19 is a push finger or feed member 42 having its forward end 43 shaped in a manner complemental to the profile of the fastener part to be fed, and having pivoted to its rear end as at 44 a link 45 (sec Fig. 8), extending rearwardly through an opening 46 in the head frame and connected by means of a two-position slot 47 with a headed pin 48 fixed to one end of a lever 49 pivoted at 50 to the table 4. The other end of this lever 49 is connected at 51 by a link 52 with a pivotal connector 53 carried by the lever arm 12. The link 52 is threaded into the connector 53 and is provided with jam nuts 54 by which the stroke of the push finger or feed member 42 may be appropriately adjusted.

The slot 47 of the link 45 has been termed a two-position slot. By this is meant that the slot has two portions 55 and 56 respectively, wherein the pin 48 may lie, so that the desired movements may be imparted to the link and through it to the push finger or feed member 42, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The link 45 is provided with an upstanding lug 57 adapted for periodic engagement with a resilient abutment comprising a bracket 58 attached to the frame 1 and having an olfstanding barrel 59 (see Fig. 6) in which is 1 slidably mounted a plunger 60 against which the lug 57 abuts. This plunger 60 is backed up by a spring 61 held under compression by a screw cap 62 provided with a bore 63, which bore forms a slide bearing for the extended end64 of the plunger 60.

Pivot-ally mounted at 65 in a bearing bracket 66 attached to the bed 2, is a trip member 67 having one end 68 extending into the slot 22 of the feedway 19, in vertical alignment with the under face of the link 45, and its other end 69 extending into the path of movement of a lug 70 carried by the lever 49, so that when the lug 70 engages the end 69 of the trip member, the end 68 thereof will be elevated and will move the link 45 about its pivot 44.

Suitable springs 71 and 72 (see Fig. 2) are provided for imparting return movement to the rock lever 6 and jaw operating lever 36 respectively.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows The stud or socket elements (depending upon which type is used) of the fasteners are fed from the hopper 17 through the chute 16 to the jaws 15 in position to be operated upon by the plunger 5, and the tack or post elements are fed from the hopper 24 through the chute 23 to the feedway 19, as described. We will assume that, as illustrated in Fig. 1, a setting operation has just been performed, and that a tack or post has entered the feedway 22 from the chute 23 and is held in position herein, in me ns. f he detest hen the jaws 15 as soon as they are returned to their elevated position in communication with the dischargeend of the chute 16.

As soon as the operator releases the pressure of his foot from the treadle member 14, the lever arm 12 will be returned by the spring 71 to fully retracted position. This will cause the lever 49 to oscillate upon its pivot 50' and, with the pin 48 in the portion of slot 47 of link 45, will cause the link 45 to move the push finger 42 forward in the feedway slot 22 r to push the fastener element past the detent 25 and through the feedway onto the anvil 29, at the same time closing the dischargeend of the chute 23. As the forward movement of the link 45 progresses, its lug 57 will-engage with the plunger 60 of the resilient abut ment and will force same into the barrel 59 ofthe bracket 58, thus compressin the spring 61., and storing up energy therein. The positions of these parts, just prior to the completion of the return movement of the lever arm 12 is illustrated in Fig. 3. The completion of the return movement of the lever 12 will thereafter cause thefurther forwardmovemeat of the push finger and will bring the lug of lever 45 into engagement with the end 69 of the trip member 67, causing the trip member 67 to oscillate upon its pivot 65 and raising its end 68 into engagement with the under surface of the link 45, thus oscillating the link upon its pivot 44 andtripping it so that the portion 55 of the slot 47 will be disengaged from the pin 48, and permit the energy stored up spring 61 of the resilient abutment to project the plunger 60 and quickly shift the link 45 to the rear until the .portion 56 of the slot 47 abuts against thepin 48. Obviously this quick rearward movement of the link 45 will cause a quick retreat of the push finger 42 from its full forwardly projected position to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 in which the environs of the anvil and the fastener part located thereon between the jaws 33 are cleared of obstruction.

Upon the next operation of the lever arm 12 by pressure of the operatofs foot against the treadle member 14, to set the fastener parts thus located upon the anvil 29 and in the aws 15, the lever 49 will be oscillated upon its pivot 50, trip member 67 will drop to its normal position as shown in Fig. 3, the pin 48 will be moved to the back end of the slot 47,

and the link 45 being then permitted to drop down will relocate the pin 48 in the portion 55 of the slot 47, and the link 45 and its push finger 42 will be retracted to the position shown in Fig. 1. Meanwhile, as the setting stroke of the plunger 5 progresses, the cam block 41 will cause the lever 36 to be oscillated to depress the aw carrier 32 and with it the jaws 83 to clear the anvil and permit the fastener parts to be appropriately engaged and set upon the material or article suitably located between the plunger and anvil.

This cycle of operations occurs at each stroke of the plunger 5, the fastener parts being fed to the anvil as the plunger ascends, and the feeding mechanism being retracted as the plunger descends.

7 Various changes and modifications both in structure and arrangement of the various elements embodying the features of the invention, are contemplated as within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following. claims.

What I claim is 1. In a fastener attaching machine having a setting anvil and plunger, and means for feeding fastener parts into setting position relatively to said anvil including a reciprocatory feed member, means for imparting apredetermined movement to said feed member, including a quick retreat device comprising an oscillatory lever, means providing a connection between said lever and said feed member whereby the feed member may assume one or the other of two positions relatively to said lever, a resilient abutment for cooperation with said connection means, and a trip member operable in timed relation to the oscillation of said lever, whereby when said feed member has fed a fastener part to setting position with said lever connection in one position said trip member and resilient abutment will cooperatively function to shift said connection to its other position and thereby cause said feed member to retreat from said fastener part.

2. In a fastener attaching machine having a setting anvil and plunger, and means for feeding fastener parts into setting position relatively to said anvil including a reciprocatory feed member, means for imparting a predetermined movement to said feed member, including a quick retreat device comprising an oscillatory lever, means including a slotted link providing a connection between said lever and said feed member, the slot of said link engageable with said lever. at two relatively spaced points whereby the feed member may assume one or the other of two positions relatively to said lever, a resilient abutment for cooperation with said link, and a trip member operable in timed relation to the oscillation of said lever and acting in cooperation with said resilient abutment to change the position of said link, whereby when said feed member has fed a fastener part to setting po- Will cooperatively function to shift said connection to its other position and thereby cause said feed member to retreat from said fastener part.

3. In a fastener attaching machine having a setting anvil and plunger, and means for feeding fastener parts into setting position relatively to said anvil including a reciprocatory feed member, means for imparting a predetermined movement to said feed member, including a quick retreat device comprising an oscillatory lever, means including a slotted link providing a connection between said lever and said feed member, the slot of said link engageable with said lever at two relatively spaced points whereby the feed member may assume one or the other of two positions relatively to said lover, a plunger member providing a resilient abutment for cooperation with a lug carried by said link, and a trip member operable in timed relation to the oscillation ofsaid lever and acting in cooperation with-said resilient abutment to change the position of said link, whereby when said feed member has fed a fastener part to setting position with said lever connection in one position said trip member and resilient abutment will cooperatively function to shift said connection to its other position and thereby cause said feed member to retreat from said fastener part.

4. In a fastener attaching machine having a setting anvil and plunger, and means for feeding fastener into setting position relatively to said anvil, means including an oscillatory arm for imparting movement to said plunger, a reciprocable push finger and link forming apart of said feeding means, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end connected with said arm to derive oscillatory movement therefrom, said link connected with the other end of said lever in such a manner that it may assume two positions relatively thereto, a lug carried by said link, a resilient abutment ar ranged to be engaged by said lug, and a trip member operable by said lever and cooperating with said link, whereby said push finger may be caused to feed a fastener part to setting position and quiclny retreat therefrom in timed relation to the operation of said plunger. e

5. In a fastener attaching machine, a setting anvil, a setting plunger for cooperation with said anvil, a frame carrying said anvil and plunger in predetermined relation, a feedway cooperating with said anvil and provided with a reciprocable push fingerfor feeding fastener parts to said anvil, an oscillatory arm pivoted to said frame, and adapted to impart movement to said plunger, a lever provided with a pivot intermediate its ends and connected at one end with said arm to derive oscillatory movement therefrom, 2 1;-,.li I1k,pl;V.Ql1d.al7 one end to said. push finger and having its other end shiftably connected with the other end of said lever, a pivoted trip member having a part for engagement with said link and a part for engagement by said lever, and a resilient abutment carried by said frame and arranged in the path of movement of a lug carried by said link, said lever, link, trip member and resilient abutment providing a quick retreat operating means for said push finger, whereby the same may position a fastener part upon said anvil and then retreat therefrom to avoid obstruction of the environs of said plunger and anvil.

6. In a fastener attaching machine, a setting anvil, a setting plunger for cooperation with said anvil, movable holding jaws cooperating with said anvil to hold a fastener part thereon, a feedway provided with a push finger for feeding fastener parts to said anvil, an oscillatory arm for imparting movement to said plunger, means for imparting a predetermined reciprocatory movement to said push finger including a lever operated by said arm, a trip member operated by said lever, and a resilient abutment, and means for moving said jaws relatively to said anvil in timed relation to the operation of said plunger and push finger.

7. In a fastener attaching machine, a setting anvil, a setting plunger for cooperation with said anvil, movable holding jaws cooperating with said anvil to hold a fastener part thereon, a feedway provided with a push finger for feeding fastener parts to said anvil, an oscillatory arm for imparting movement to said plunger, means for imparting a predetermined reciprocatory movement to said push finger including a lever operated by said arm, a trip member operated by said lever, and a resilient abutment, and means including a lever connected with said jaws and a cam member carried by said arm for moving said jaws relatively to said anvil in timed relation to the operation of said plunger and push finger.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of June, A. D. 1931.

JEFFREY VEILLETTE. 

